Karn, Rishi strike it big

OUR BUREAU

Karn Sharma

Calcutta/Bangalore: Railways leg-spinner Karn Sharma and Himachal Pradesh all-rounder Rishi Dhawan were the most expensive uncapped players on the second and final day of the IPL auction, in Bangalore.

Karn, who played for Sunrisers Hyderabad last season, was bought back for a startling Rs 3.75 crore while Dhawan went to Kings XI Punjab for Rs 3 crore. The second day of the auction saw most franchises contest fiercely for the lesser-known Indian domestic players. This was the first time that uncapped players were brought into the auction.

It was quite surprising that India Under-19 captain Vijay Zol fetched only Rs 30 lakh. Another promising player Baba Aparajith, who has impressed for Tamil Nadu, was bought for an even lower price, Rs 10 lakh.

On a low-key second day of the auction, former New Zealand captain Ross Taylor, who had surprisingly gone unsold on the opening day, finally found a buyer in Delhi DareDevils, who snapped him up for his base price of Rs 2 crore.

However, former Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene, West Indian all-rounder Marlon Samuels, Australia all-rounders Cameron White and David Hussey, and New Zealand batsman Martin Guptill remained unsold.

Of the 514 players enlisted for the auction, 154 — 50 of them overseas players — were sold. This comprises 80 capped and 74 uncapped players.

A total of 178 players (60 overseas) will feature in IPL VII.

Delhi DareDevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore were the only teams to exhaust their full purse. While Rajasthan Royals were left with Rs 5.55 crore, Kings XI had Rs 4.10 crore in their kitty. Kolkata Knight Riders had spent all but Rs 1 crore to pick their 19 players.

Two overseas players were sold in the morning. Dutchman Ryan ten Doeschate was bought back by his former franchise, Knight Riders, for the base price of Rs 1 crore and West Indies all-rounder Kevon Cooper went back to the Rajasthan Royals for a base price of Rs 30 lakh.

Young Australian quick Patrick Cummins, who was unsold even after two attempts, was picked up by the Knight Riders when his name came up for one last time before the close of the auction. The Calcutta franchise picked up the 20-year-old fast bowler, who often clocks 140 kmph, for his base price of Rs 1 crore.

Meanwhile, the IPL governing council has turned down Vijay Mallya's appeal that Royal Challengers Bangalore had to pay an excess of Rs 4 crore for Yuvraj Singh.

The council first announced on Thursday that the appeal had not been accepted, pointing out that the auctioneer's decision was final.

Later, auctioneer Richard Madley said that he stood by his decision, and if such a situation returned, he wouldn't do anything differently.